Meaning
To cause a plan to fail.
Cultural Background
In Italy, social gatherings are often planned with great detail regarding food and location. 'Mandare a monte' a dinner is seen as a significant social slight. Italians value relationships in business. If a deal is 'mandato a monte' without a good reason, it can ruin a professional relationship for years. Many Italian idioms come from card games (like 'mettere le carte in tavola'). This reflects the historical importance of cafes and social clubs. The Italian parliamentary system often sees coalitions 'mandate a monte' by small internal disagreements, a frequent topic in newspapers.
The 'Avere' vs 'Essere' Rule
Always check your auxiliary. 'Ho mandato a monte' (I ruined it) vs 'È andato a monte' (It failed). This is the #1 mistake for C1 students.
Not for Objects
Never use this for a broken phone or a crashed car. It's only for plans, deals, and ideas.
Meaning
To cause a plan to fail.
The 'Avere' vs 'Essere' Rule
Always check your auxiliary. 'Ho mandato a monte' (I ruined it) vs 'È andato a monte' (It failed). This is the #1 mistake for C1 students.
Not for Objects
Never use this for a broken phone or a crashed car. It's only for plans, deals, and ideas.
Social Weight
Using this phrase shows you understand the frustration of wasted effort, which is very relatable to Italians.
Word Order
You can put the object in the middle: 'Mandare il piano a monte' sounds very natural and emphasizes the plan.
Test Yourself
Scegli la forma corretta per completare la frase.
Il maltempo ha ________ i nostri piani per il weekend.
The weather is the subject doing the action, so we need 'mandato' (transitive) and the correct idiom 'a monte'.
Completa la frase con il verbo corretto (mandare o andare).
Purtroppo la trattativa è ________ a monte per mancanza di fiducia.
Since the auxiliary is 'essere' (è), we must use the intransitive form 'andata'.
In quale di queste situazioni useresti 'mandare a monte'?
Situazioni:
The phrase is used for cancelling or ruining plans/projects, not for physical objects or finishing tasks.
Completa il dialogo.
A: 'Perché sei così arrabbiato?' B: 'Perché Marco ha ________ la nostra serata!'
Marco is the person who ruined the night, so we use the active 'mandato'.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Mandare vs. Andare a Monte
Common Objects of 'Mandare a Monte'
Business
- • Trattativa
- • Accordo
- • Progetto
Social
- • Festa
- • Sorpresa
- • Matrimonio
Travel
- • Viaggio
- • Vacanza
- • Gita
Practice Bank
4 exercisesIl maltempo ha ________ i nostri piani per il weekend.
The weather is the subject doing the action, so we need 'mandato' (transitive) and the correct idiom 'a monte'.
Purtroppo la trattativa è ________ a monte per mancanza di fiducia.
Since the auxiliary is 'essere' (è), we must use the intransitive form 'andata'.
Situazioni:
The phrase is used for cancelling or ruining plans/projects, not for physical objects or finishing tasks.
A: 'Perché sei così arrabbiato?' B: 'Perché Marco ha ________ la nostra serata!'
Marco is the person who ruined the night, so we use the active 'mandato'.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
10 questionsNo, it's neutral. It can be used in professional settings without any problem.
Only if you are talking about the *plan* to be together or a wedding. For the relationship itself, use 'lasciarsi'.
'Annullare' is more formal and technical (like cancelling a flight). 'Mandare a monte' implies the failure of something that required effort.
No, the preposition is always 'a'.
Yes, it is a standard national idiom, not a regionalism.
No, only plans or projects. You can't 'ruin' a person using this phrase.
Yes, it's a great phrase to show idiomatic mastery in a C1 speaking or writing test.
Usually 'piani' (plans), 'trattative' (negotiations), or 'progetti' (projects).
Absolutely: 'Se continui così, manderai a monte tutto.'
Not really. To say a plan succeeded, you'd say 'andare in porto' (to arrive in port).
Related Phrases
andare a monte
similarTo fail (of a plan)
mandare all'aria
synonymTo ruin/mess up
mandare in fumo
synonymTo go up in smoke
mandare a rotoli
synonymTo go to the dogs / to fall apart
mandare in vacca
specialized formTo go to hell / to be ruined
